Collapsible portable hatbox



Patented July 12, 1921.

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ISIANA, ASSIGNOE OF ONEJECALF TO QRLEANS, LOUISIANA.

COLLAPSIBLE PQRTABLE HATBQX.

Specification. of Letters Patent.

Patented July 112, 1821.

Application filed March 1926, Serial No. Renewed November 29, 1920.Serial No. 427,207.

To all 10120722 66 may concern Be it known that 1, Armor: Hinsor-rwrrz,a citizen or the United States, residing at New @rlca s, in the parishof Orleans and State oil Louisiana, have invented certain new and use' uImprovements in Collapsible Portable r .tboxes; and I do hereby de thefollowing to be full, clear, and ex ct description of the invention,such as ll enable others skilled in the art to which it apg ertains tomakeai d use the same.

The present invention relates to improvements in coll siblc portable hatboxes, and has for an object to provide a simple and inexpensiveconstruction capable of formation out of pasteboard or other suitablematerial which may be quickly and conveniently up to provide a hat boxhaving ample s ace therein, or knocked down and collapsed so that thesame occupies a very small compass and can with facility be transportedand carried about.

The invention furthermore consists in the constructions, combinationsand arrangements hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and inwhich similar reference symbols indicate corresponding parts in theseveral views:

Figure l is a perspective view of an im proved hat box constructed inaccordance with the present invention and shown in the collapsedcondition.

F 2 is a perspective view of the bottom or the box showing the bottomend walls partially raised.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the body portion partially collapsed.

Fig. i is a perspective view of the box in the set up condition with thetop removed.

Fig. 5 is a. similar View of the same with the top in place.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the box shown in perspective;and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged scale showingthe locking devices.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates a base havingmarginal upstanding side flanges 2 and similar marginal upstanding endflanges 8. Flaps 4 are secured to the base 1 in spaced parallel relationto themarginal side flanges 2, and are folded along lines of fiexure 5,on which the "laps may be folded down or set up in the position shown inF 6.

The bottom 1 is also provided with end walls 6 and 7 having edges 8,shown in Fig. 6, pasted down against the bottom along opposite edgesthereof, the bottom end walls being hinged along lines of flexure 9 onwhich they may be collapsed down against the bottom 1 or raised to anupright position. Locking flaps 10 are provided on the upper tree edgesoi the bottom end walls 6 and 7 for a purpose later described.

The box further consists o'l a body portion which is separate anddistinct from the base, and is shown alone in Fig. 3, consisting oiunbroken side walls 11 and 12 rigid throughout, and collapsible endwalls 13 and i l bendable along vertical intermediate lines to enablesuch walls 13 and 14 to collapse in wardly with respect to the sidewalls 11. and 12 and to assume the substantially V formation illustratedin F 3. Locking strips 15 are secured as by staples or other fasteningmeans 16 along the upper interior edge of the side walls 11 and 12 ofthe body portion.

The box also comprises a lid or top 17 having marginal depending flanges18.

In use the box may be collapsed to the condition shown in Fig. 1, whereit is arranged within relatively small compass and-may be easily carriedabout, or it may be set up to the condition shown in Fig. 5, when it isused to contain a hat. It is obvious, however, that the box may beemployed for other uses.

When collapsed the bottom end walls 6 and 7 are folded one upon anotherdown upon the base 1, and the body portion in the folded condition islaid upon the uppermost bottom end wall within the marginal flanges ofthe bottom. The top 17 is then put in place, the depending flanges 18engaging over the upstanding marginal flanges or the bottom.

In setting the box up the top is first removed as shown in Fig. 2, andthe bottom end walls 6 and 7 partially raised. The body portion is thendrawn out to its ex panded condition and the lower edges there of areinserted within the flanges 2 and 3, the lower edges of said side walls11 and 12 engaging between the flanges 2 and the flaps 4:, as indicatedin Fig. 6. The bottom end walls 6 and 7 are thereupon raised within thebody portion and up against the interior faces of the collapsible endwalls 13 and 14 of the body portion, the locking flaps being engagedover the upper edges of said walls 13 and 14h This condition is bestseen in Figs. 4: and 7.

The bottom end walls 6 and 7, when in the finally raised position andwith the "flaps 10 engaging over the end walls of the body portion, areadapted to snap back of the ends of the locking strips 15 carried by theside walls 11 and 12, by which the parts are el i ectually locked in theraised position, as the escape of the bottom end walls 6 and 7 from thelocking strips is very unlikely.

The top 17 is then put in place over the body portion, as shown in Fig.5, and the hat box is complete.

It becomes an easy matter to knock down the box by reversing theoperations already described.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that I have provided a simple andinexpensive construction of knock-down box.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details ofconstruction and arrangements of parts without departing from the spiritof my invention, and there fore I do not wish to be limited to suchfeatures except as may be required by the claims.

I claim:

1. A box of the character described including a bottom, end walls hingedalong opposite edges to the bottom and adapted to fold down one uponanother against said bottom, a body portion distinct and separate fromthe bottom and adapted to seat at its lower edges thereon, said bodyportion composed of rigid side walls and col lapsible end walls, the endwalls of the bottom adapted to swing up against the interior sides ofthe collapsible end walls of the body portion whereby to reinforce andstiffen the same, locking flaps on the upper edges of the bottom endwalls for engaging over the upper edges of the collapsible end walls ofthe body, and locking strips secured to the rigid side walls of the bodyalong the in terior of the upper edges of the same and having theiropposite ends adapted to engage the adjacent portions of the bottom endwalls whereby to securely hold the same in place, and a top for the box,substantially as described. 7

2. A box of the character described including a bottom having marginalupstanding flanges, and a pair of upstanding flaps spaced from the sideflanges, end walls hinged along opposite edges to the bottom and adaptedto told one upon another down against said bottom, a body portionseparate and distinct from the bottom and adapted to rest thereon, saidbody portion including continuous and unbroken side walls having theirlower edges adapted to fit between V the said marginal flanges and theflaps of the bottom and end walls foldable on intermediate linesinwardly to permit the collapse of the body portion, the end tvalls oithe bottom adapted to swing up against the interior sides of thecollapsible end walls of the body, locking flaps on the upper edges ofthe bottom. end walls adapted to engage over the upper edges of thecollapsible end walls Off the body, locking strips secured along theinterior of the upper edges of the side walls of the body and having theends thereof adapted to engage against adjacent portions of the bottomend walls to hold the same in the raised position, and a top havingmarginal depending flanges adapted to engage over the flanges of thebottom when the box is collapsed or over the upper edges of thebody'portion when the box is set up, substantially as described.

AARON I-IIRSCHWITZ.

